Candidates

— Earlier that day —

In the palm of a hand, there was a scar — right where the “line” appeared on people born with elemental blood.

It was the hand of a boy who stared at the scar intently. His expression was emotional — it was clear that something important lay behind that scar. Then, he clenched the hand tightly into a fist.

His expression changed instantly, filled now with determination.

The boy’s name was Hanzo Hakai — 15 years old, tall and strong. He wore a headband and a ninja outfit with armored plates on the chest, shoulders, elbows, and knees. There was a chain-kunai wrapped all around his torso.

He carried two ninja swords on his back, and had two ninja tool pouches, one strapped to each leg. And, he also carried a mysterious backpack on his back.

Hanzo was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by trees and wooden training posts. It was silent, the only sound was the wind rustling the leaves. Then, he began to train.

With his eyes closed, he launched shurikens while flipping through the air in swift, precise acrobatics — hitting every target dead center.

Suddenly, sharp wooden spikes shot up from the ground at random angles. But Hanzo reacted fast, dodging all of them with agile spins and flips.

Before he could rest, a rain of kunai came speeding toward him. He drew both of his swords and deflected the kunais with incredible speed, leaving them scattered uselessly on the ground.

Just as he began catching his breath, he suddenly found himself caught in a net being pulled upward. Quickly, he threw a smoke bomb at the ground and set it off. The area filled with smoke, and only the empty net rose into the air!

Hanzo was already elsewhere, swinging from a wire before landing on the branch of a nearby tree. He reeled the wire back in and placed it in his pouch.

“Enough! That’s all for today,” came a woman’s sensual voice.

“But sensei, I just got started! There are still over a hundred traps left,” Hanzo protested.

There she was, Aoi Momoa, sitting on a log, holding a wine bottle, looking cheerful... and clearly drunk.

She jumped down, and staggered as she walked, clearly tipsy.

“Speaking of traps, we need to take them all down before someone gets killed. You’re the only one who can make it out of them alive.”

“Alright, I’ll dismantle them after I finish today’s training.”

“Forget the training. You’re already ready. All the different traps I built over the past few months haven’t even scratched you. The training’s lost its fun.”

“Let’s hope getting into the Special Unit is as easy as this training.”

“When I found you a year ago, training alone in the woods, I knew right away you had the potential to join the Special Unit, even without elemental blood. And with the intense training I gave you, I’m sure of it now. You don’t need any special powers to beat your opponents. Your tools are more than enough.”

“That’s my motto, sensei. A real ninja doesn’t need special powers, only his ninja tools. That’s why I carry them all.”

“I still think it’s overkill. Traditional ninja weapons like swords, shuriken, kunai, smoke bombs, and wires would do the trick.”

“A prepared ninja is worth more than a ninja with powers, sensei. That’s why I added nunchaku, chain-kunai, a foldable staff, and a few secret weapons in my backpack.”

“Anyway... dismantle the traps and go say goodbye to your village. Tomorrow is Arena day.”

“Sensei, are you sure they’ll let you back into the army after you left so long ago?”

“Of course! I left, I wasn’t expelled. And I only left because I didn’t want anyone pitying me for losing my powers.”

“I get it, but besides losing your powers, you also turned into a...”

“I know, my boobs got bigger,” she said, jiggling them playfully. “And I got hotter. But why would that be a problem?”

“Stop shaking your boobs at your student!” Hanzo shouted in embarrassment. “And I meant you turned into a drunk, irresponsible slob.”

“The army will just have to deal with it. I passed the Arena, joined the Special Unit, and completed missions. I’ve earned my place there, just like everyone else who probably became captains by now,” then her expression changed, growing serious. “Now I have to face that idiot Kubo again, the one who made me lose my powers.”

“But he saved your life, sensei.”

“The ‘Blood Pact’ is only made when someone’s on the verge of death. I could’ve survived the injuries without having to benefit from the pact in exchange for my precious powers,” Aoi said bitterly.

“He couldn’t be sure about that. He couldn’t take the risk. You yourself said you were unconscious and badly hurt.”

“Are you siding with that idiot too?” Aoi asked, annoyed.

“If it weren’t for that guy Kubo, I might’ve never met you, sensei. Because, well... I guess you decided to help me because our cases are similar.”

“They’re not similar at all! You were born without elemental blood, you never had powers. I was born with elemental blood, I had powers... and I lost them. I miss my powers,” she began to sob like a child, pulling Hanzo’s head into her chest as she cried.

“Sensei... you’re the one who needs comforting. So it’s your head that should be on my chest, not the other way around!”

***

In a small, poor, and humble village, all the villagers were gathered in front of Hanzo.

Everyone was emotional — it was a farewell.

Hanzo stood with his backpack, ready to depart.

Then, an old man, clearly worried, approached Hanzo. It was his father.

“Son, I know you're doing this for the village… but there's still time to turn back. If they find out you're pretending to be your twin brother, I don’t know what they’ll do to you.”

“They won’t find out. The scar I made on my hand is flawless. It looks just like the line of elemental blood was erased by the wound. Outside this village, everyone thinks the one who died of illness was Hanzo’s twin, the one born without elemental blood.”

“Pretending to be Hanzo doesn’t make you him. You don’t have his elemental blood, you don’t have his special powers.”

“The whole village placed their hopes on Hanzo. When he died, everyone panicked. It became my duty, as his twin brother, to carry out his mission: to pass the Arena, join the Special Unit, and save our village. And I’ll do it without any special powers.”

“But it was because of his special powers that the army official even made the offer, that once he turned 15 and passed the Arena, the village could remain on these State lands in exchange for his service as a soldier in the Special Unit.”

“Father, the deal is to pass the Arena. That’s it.”

“Understand this once and for all, you won’t make it through the Arena without special powers. I don’t want to lose another son,” his father said, worried.

Hanzo’s face twisted with indignation.

He stepped away, disappointed, and began to leave.

But then he stopped, his thoughts pulled back to the past.

— One year earlier —

Inside a small house, the identical twin brothers was together — one was on his deathbed, the other held his hand tightly.

“Brother… I failed our village. I’m going to die without saving them. They have nowhere else to go. Our story is here… this place is our home,” said the bedridden brother, coughing.

“You did everything you could. Don’t feel bad. The village will understand.”

“I have a mission for you. As my twin, you must finish what I started. Pass the Arena. Join the Special Unit. Save the village.”

“But brother… without special powers, I can’t complete that mission.”

“Yes, you can. You were always the best student among those without elemental blood. Your skill with ninja tools is just as impressive as any special ability.”

“But I still never managed to defeat you in a fight.”

“Yet you defeated everyone else at the academy, even those with elemental blood. With time, you would have mastered every ninja weapon and eventually defeated me. That just never happened because I couldn’t afford to lose... not while I was supposed to be the village’s savior, it wouldn’t have been right.”

“But brother…!?”

“From today on, you are Hanzo Hakai. Finish my mission and save the village. This isn’t just a favor, it’s the last wish of your beloved brother. Show the village that you were always better than me.”

“Me?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yes, you… Hanzo Hakai!” he declared, as he closed his eyes and drew his final breath.

Tears fell from his brother’s eyes, but still his gaze carried determination. He was clearly resolved to fulfill his brother’s dying wish.

— Back to the present —

After recalling the memory, Hanzo turned to face the villagers. With a deep breath, he raised his head and spoke boldly:

“The one standing before you now is Hanzo Hakai. Don’t wait for news tomorrow to start celebrating, because I’ll say it now: I’m going to pass the Arena!”

The villagers erupted in celebration, shouting with joy. And Hanzo walked away with powerful, steady steps while behind him, everyone chanted his name in hope and pride:

“Hanzo Hakai! Hanzo Hakai! Hanzo Hakai!”

***

Some time later, Hanzo had just arrived at a busy street. It was full of bars.

Why did sensei ask us to meet here? There’s nothing but bars. And to make things worse, she’s late as usual.

Suddenly, her loud laughter echoed from somewhere nearby. Hearing it, Hanzo followed the sound, trying to locate her. The laughter led him to one of the bars.

There she was, sitting at the counter, drinking and laughing with strangers.

Annoyed, Hanzo stormed in and grabbed his sensei by the arm, dragging her outside.

“We agreed to meet here and you used it as an excuse to drink?”

“But you were taking too long! Who told you to be late?” said Aoi, clearly drunk.

“I wasn’t late! You just got here early so you could start drinking!”

“I wasn’t drinking… I was… looking for another candidate!”

“Looking for a candidate in a bar? Come up with a better lie… wait, what do you mean another candidate?”

“Duh! For the Arena. Each captain must present at least two candidates. So far, I only have you. If I can’t find another one, you won’t be able to compete.”

“What!?” Hanzo exclaimed, stunned. “And you’re only telling me this now? The Arena is tomorrow! Where are we supposed to find another candidate at this point?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know! If I knew, I wouldn’t be searching in bars, would I?”

“Why not check the academies!?”

“The active captains have probably already combed through them. And also, they wouldn’t let a dropout like me snoop around. I still believe we’ll find someone outside the academy who wants to enter the Arena, just chill.”

“Usually, people who want to enter the Arena stay in the academy to prepare for it!”

“But I found you outside the academy, didn’t I?”

“That’s different. When my brother started getting sick, we left the academy. And since everyone there knew me and my brother, I couldn’t go back or they’d find out my secret.”

“Oh, stop whining and help me search. Let’s go!”

She started pulling Hanzo by the arm, but he didn’t budge.

“Sensei, that way’s just more bars,” Hanzo said, frowning.

“Oh, right… then let’s go the other way!” she said, embarrassed and grinning.

And the two of them walked off.

***

At the headquarters, in a room full of papers and files, sat an old man dressed in a samurai kimono. He was in charge of administrative affairs at the base.

He held a document in his hand. In front of him, there was someone standing quietly.

“To join the Special Unit, one must pass the Arena. That’s the only rule,” the old man stated firmly.

Hearing that, the person sighed in disappointment.

It was Meme Bizarrime — a 15-year-old girl. She was skinny, short, and carried herself with a timid posture, always looking down. She had long purple hair with bangs covering her eyes.

She wore a dark purple samurai kimono and had a katana at her waist. Over that, she wore a short shoulder cape and matching dark purple gloves.

“But I heard there are special candidates who enter the Special Unit without passing the Arena…” Meme insisted in a soft, desperate voice.

“Yes, as you said… special candidates. That means people with such exceptional skill they don’t need to fight in the Arena. So far, only those with purple blood or from the Kamui Clan have earned that privilege.”

“Please, sir. I can be very useful with my ability. The Special Unit might need someone like me for infiltration missions.”

“That’s what the First Division is for. Any kind of power is useful there. But to actually join the Special Unit, you must pass the Arena.”

“With my ability, I can’t fight in the Arena. I’d be humiliated, massacred in front of everyone. I've already endured enough humiliation during all my years at the academy for having a useless combat power…” she confessed, sorrowfully.

“Anyone who passes the Arena has the right to join the Special Unit, regardless of their ability.”

“I thought that by writing this report describing all the possible uses for my ability in special missions, they’d let me in…”

“Sorry, but the only place you can show those uses is in the Arena… not on a piece of paper.”

“Understood… Excuse me,” she said, dejected.

She walked out, deeply saddened. When she opened the door to leave, she came face to face with Hanzo, who had just arrived.

She passed by him and left.

Hanzo entered the room. He walked up to the old man at the desk.

“Yes, boy. Go ahead.”

“I’m Hanzo Hakai, from the Village of Cards.”

“That small village on State land. We have two project proposals for that area: one for a warehouse of medical equipment, another for weapons. The soldiers will need them for the Great War.”

“I understand. We received the proposal that if I passed the Arena and joined the Special Unit, those construction projects would be moved to another place and the village could remain.”

“Yes, I remember that case. Let me find your file.”

The old man searched through the documents while Hanzo waited with visible anxiety.

The man returned to the desk with a file in hand and examined it.

“So, you’ve turned 15?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Let me see your card.”

Hanzo handed him a card. The man examined it carefully.

“Very well, boy. If you pass the Arena tomorrow, your village will be saved through the service you’ll provide in the Special Unit. You’re dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir! Excuse me.”

Hanzo turned to leave.

“Wait!”

Hanzo froze, uneasy. He turned slowly.

“Yes…?”

“Let me see the line on your hand.”

Hanzo calmly raised his hand and revealed the scar on his palm. The old man stared at it closely, intrigued, but Hanzo maintained his composure.

***

Meme walked down the hallway of the headquarters, sad and discouraged.

What was I thinking, believing I could convince them to let me into the Special Unit without passing the Arena? Now my only strategy has failed. And worse, I bragged to everyone that I was going to make it in…

That’s what Meme was thinking when suddenly she bumped straight into Aoi’s breasts — the woman was drunk, holding a bottle of wine in one hand.

“Girl, watch where you're going, or you'll get crushed by these two giants,” Aoi said with a teasing smile, pointing at her own breasts.

“Sorry…” Meme replied, looking down, her face full of sorrow.

“Hey, girl… what’s with that face?”

“It’s nothing. Excuse me!” Meme said softly and started to walk away.

“Wait! I’m waiting for my candidate. While he’s gone, you can talk to me. I’m not great at giving advice, but I’m a good listener.”

Meme paused, thought for a moment… then decided to talk. They both sat down.

“I wanted to join the Special Unit, but they didn’t let me…”

“Of course they didn’t,” Aoi cut her off. “You’re alone. It has to be two candidates and a captain to represent them. But lucky for you… here I am! You can join my team!” she said, cheerful.

“No! Wait… you didn’t understand. It was because my ability is useless in combat.”

“What’s your ability?”

“Body manipulation: I can transform, reshape, and distort my body however I want and change my form or appearance.”

“Yeah… that’s pretty useless in a fight. No point in turning into someone else if the one taking damage is still you.”

“Exactly…” Meme replied, disheartened.

Just then, Hanzo arrived, looking excited.

“Sensei! It all worked out. All I have to do now is show up to the Arena, pass, and save my village.”

“Great! Guess what? I found our second candidate!” Aoi exclaimed, practically bursting with joy.

Hanzo and Meme both looked at her, puzzled.

“Her!” said Aoi, beaming as she pointed straight at Meme.

“What!? Were you not listening to a word I said!?” Meme asked, confused.

“Sensei… looks like she doesn’t want to,” Hanzo said awkwardly.

“Too late for that now! She bumped into my boobs… that’s binding!” Aoi said without hesitation.

“Sensei… that’s not how you convince someone to fight in the Arena.”

“Oh, right… Let me say something wise. Let me think…” she paused to think, then with a dramatic expression, she said: “‘any ability is dangerous in the hands of a genius’… how about that?”

Those words caught Meme off guard. From the look on her face, it was clear they had struck a chord deep within her.

“Whoa, sensei. That was actually pretty good,” Hanzo said, clearly impressed.

Meanwhile, Meme was overcome with emotion. With her expression now firm and determined, she declared:

“I’m in!” Hanzo and Aoi looked at her, stunned. “I’ll fight in the Arena.”

“Seriously?” Hanzo asked, incredulous.

“Yes. Those words made me realize… the problem was never my ability… it was me. I’ll fight in the Arena. And I’ll win,” Meme replied motivated.

Out of nowhere, Aoi sprinted off at full speed.

“Where are you going, sensei?”

“To register you both before she changes her mind!” she shouted back as she ran.

Hanzo then sat down next to Meme.

“I’m Hanzo. Hanzo Hakai.”

“Meme. Meme Bizarrime.”

“They say that training one kick over and over will make you better than someone who trained many kicks just once. What I mean is… it’s not about the ability, but it’s how well you master it that makes it dangerous.”

“My ability may not be dangerous. But I know how to use it with mastery. So I’ll make it dangerous. Starting tomorrow, in the Arena.”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!”

“And you? What’s your ability?” Meme asked, curious.

“Can you keep a secret?” Meme nodded silently. “I don’t have elemental blood. So… I have no special powers.”

“This team’s worse than I thought…” Meme muttered. “So the only one with actual powers is the sensei!?”

“Actually… she lost her powers.”

“WHAT!?” Meme yelled, horrified.

***

— Back to the present, in the meeting room —

While Aoi and Kubo locked eyes, the others were still stunned by her sudden appearance.

“Still vulgar, you loser?” Minata taunted.

“You were jealous of me before, imagine now.”

“Why would I ever envy someone like you? I’m superior to you in every way: power, class, elegance, level...”

“Except for the best part,” Aoi replied, crossing her arms and pressing her large breasts together with a smirk.

“Aoi, why are you drunk? You used to be a serious and impeccable soldier. Have you become a drunk now?” asked the Feudal Lord, concerned.

“Don’t change the subject. I want to register my candidates for the Arena.”

“You’re no longer part of the military. You left of your own free will, you have no authority to register anyone. Besides, you left before becoming a captain,” Hoshino stated bluntly.

“I don’t care. Register my candidates or I’ll make a scene.”

“Out of respect for your past service, I’ll allow it. But if both your candidates pass, you must return to active duty as their sensei. Are you prepared to go back into the field without your powers?” the Feudal Lord asked.

“There’s no way her candidates are going to pass. We have nothing to worry about,” Minata scoffed.

“Well then… thank you, Feudal Lord. We’ll see how things go in the Arena,” Aoi replied confidently.

“Very well. This meeting is adjourned. You are dismissed. Good luck to your candidates tomorrow.”

Everyone got up and left, except for Kubo and Aoi, who was finishing off the last drops of her wine.

Kubo approached her as she tilted the empty bottle, hoping to find a final sip.

“Aoi… You disappeared. I missed you so much.”

“What is it now? Regret?”

“You know I don’t regret what I did. I’d do it again if I had to. I couldn’t risk losing you.”

“But you lost me anyway. And might I add: a huge loss,” said Aoi, pressing her breasts toward him teasingly.

“Seems like time hasn’t washed away your bitterness.”

“Kubo, I’ll never forgive you,” she said coldly, then left, stumbling as she shouted. “Is there any wine in this damned base!?”

Kubo remained still, saddened, watching her drunkenly walk away.

***

Elsewhere, in a house located in a tidy neighborhood, Gotan was inside. It was his parents’ house.

He had just finished sweeping the floor.

Then he went on to organize the furniture.

After that, he placed his clothes from his backpack into the drawers.

Finally, he placed the framed photo on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Phew! Everything’s done. Now just a shower and sleep. But taking a shower without training first is pointless.”

He threw himself to the floor and began doing push-ups while counting aloud:

“One… two… three… four… five… six… seven…”

***

Night fell.

In the military headquarters meeting room, only the Feudal Lord was there.

Kubo arrived shortly after and took a seat.

“So, Feudal Lord… I’m here.”

“As I mentioned earlier, we need to discuss the assassin. I believe it’s unanimous to rule out the possibility that he’s from another Nation. Our earlier investigations would’ve given us some clue if that were the case.”

“I agree. But by discarding that theory, we’re left with the most absurd one.”

“Which is?

“The man from Rino Amazo’s vision. A being with divine power capable of dominating all three Nations.”

“Right… but even assuming the assassin is that man from Rino’s vision, we still have no idea who he is.”

“What we do know is he has the power to kill the bearers of purple blood. Which means… he might also be a bearer of purple blood himself.”

“The Amazo Clan was our greatest weapon. Their data was being meticulously recorded in our archives. I find it hard to believe there’s someone with purple blood we never documented.”

“Which leads me to suspect this killer predates the registration of that clan.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I rely heavily on my intuition. Logic often blinds us to truths beyond our understanding. And my intuition tells me this assassin comes from a distant past… even before the Janken.”

“What? Isn’t that a bit extreme? Someone from before the Janken? How would he still be alive after all this time?”

“That part, I still can’t explain. But I’ve been thinking… the first case of blue blood was recorded after the peace treaty. And the Kamui clan’s black blood is an anomaly that began during the war. Meaning, both types of rare blood appeared after year 300. But purple blood… has been around since the discovery of elemental blood.”

“So, purple blood is the only one with an unknown origin. But if the killer has purple blood, why would he kill others who share it?”

“If he managed to wipe out the entire Amazo Clan, they clearly posed no threat to him. There must be something only those with purple blood can do, not related to power, but to right or legitimacy. Something like a lineage or inheritance. And he wants no competition.”

“Is there something you know that I’m not aware of?”

“Rino Amazo told his son to awaken the ‘Circle’. He said it was the only way to stop this man. And the ‘Circle’ can only be awakened by someone with purple blood. So, maybe… that ‘Circle’ is the reason for all of this.”

“Speaking of Rino’s son, your report said he doesn’t have purple blood. Do you think he might still awaken the ‘Circle’?”

“I don’t know… but right now, he’s the only living descendant of the Amazo Clan. With or without purple blood, he still belongs to that bloodline. Which means it’s possible he inherited the right or legitimacy to something the assassin is trying to prevent by wiping out the Amazo Clan.”

“If everything you said is true… if your intuition is right… then this boy might just be our greatest weapon against the most powerful enemy we’ve ever known.”

Then, in a suspenseful silence, the two stared at each other, visibly concerned.

***

Dawn broke!

It was the Arena Day.

The door to Mania’s room burst open. From the outside, all that could be seen at first were her excited kicks flying through the doorway until she finally emerged completely, throwing kicks in the air with wild energy. She quickly slammed the door shut behind her.

But when she turned to the side, her expression shifted to surprise, and then immediately to annoyed face.

Standing right beside her, calmly locking the door to the last room of the hallway, was Sagato.

Mania marched toward him with a serious look.

“You owe me an apology.”

“Sorry!” Sagato replied, blunt and disinterested, his focus still on the door lock.

“Oh... well... I guess we’re neighbors now, huh?” …silence… “Hope I didn’t bother you with my training last night. I’m fighting in the Arena today.”

“If you still need to train, maybe you're not ready,” Sagato said, still not looking at her.

“What did you say? You wanna die, punk!?” asked Mania, furious.

“Of course not…” then he looked at her and said bluntly: “you’re weak!”

Furious, Mania screamed and charged at him, leaping with her fist drawn back, ready to smash him.

But just before her punch landed…

“See you in the Arena,” said Sagato and vanished in an instant, leaving only a fading afterimage in the air.

Mania's punch hit nothing but empty space.

She stopped, puzzled, glancing around quickly.

“Mania!?” called Gotan’s voice.

Still confused, she turned to see him.

“Gotan? Did you see the boy who was just here!?”

“What? You just got to the capital and you’re already chasing boys?” he teased.

“Ugh! I’m gonna kill you!” Mania shouted, charging after him.

Gotan laughed and bolted away, running at full speed. As she chased him, he yelled:

“I came to pick you up, and this is the reception I get!?”

“Who asked you to pick me up!?”

“You’d definitely get lost on the way!”

“I’ll kill you, you idiot!”

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Of course not! I’m broke, why?”

“Because I was gonna buy you breakfast.”

“Okay!” Mania immediately stopped chasing him. “My anger’s gone. Let’s eat.”

Gotan stopped, catching his breath.

“Let’s go then.”

And off they went.

***

On a busy street, Kubo stood waiting at the agreed location.

His tired expression showed he’d been standing there for a while.

Eventually, Gotan and Mania arrived.

“Finally! You’re late!”

“It’s Mania’s fault. I had to wait while she finished two bowls of food.”

“Doesn’t matter! The Arena matches have already started, and you’re not there.”

“What!?” they both shouted in shock.

“If your names are called and you’re not present, you’ll be disqualified.”

“WHAT!?” they screamed again, now in full panic.

“I think you know the headquarters. Run as fast as you can. You might make it before your matches start.”

The two bolted down the street, running desperately.

***

At the headquarters entrance, exhausted and panting, Gotan and Mania arrived.

Two guards — one a ninja and the other a samurai — stood at the gate.

“Good morning, sirs. Where are the Arena matches taking place?” Gotan asked, catching his breath.

“Matches? They haven’t started yet. Still early. Candidates are waiting in the holding room.”

“That damned captain lied to us. My stomach hurts from all that running!” Mania groaned.

“It’s hurting because you ate two bowls of food first thing in the morning.”

“Shut up, idiot!”

“What matters is that we’re here. Let’s go to that room… I want to see the other candidates.”

Then, their expressions shifted, now they both looked excited.

***

Gotan and Mania opened the door to a spacious room, and they were immediately struck by what they saw.

The room was full of candidates — some gathered in small groups, others standing alone — each with their own distinct style.

The atmosphere was intense and intimidating.

“A lot of them look strong... I’m fired up now. I want to fight all of them,” Gotan said, excited.

“I’m not impressed. I expected more,” Mania replied, unimpressed.

Then, her eyes locked onto Sagato, standing calmly in the corner, leaning against the wall, deep in thought.

Instantly, her fury returned.

“YOU!” she shouted, pointing at him.

Her voice echoed through the entire room. Every candidate turned to look, curious.

But Sagato didn’t move a muscle. He barely looked, just a glance from the corner of his eye, saw who it was, then ignored her and returned to his thoughts.

“I’m gonna destroy you in the Arena!” she yelled.

Everyone in the room looked stunned and confused.

“Mania, stop yelling. Everyone’s staring. You’re embarrassing me,” Gotan whispered.

“I don’t care what these losers think.”

“You’re just making yourself look weak.”

Mania glanced around. Everyone was indeed staring at her with judgmental eyes. Some murmured quietly.

“Who here thinks I’m weak!?” she demanded.

The looks didn’t change.

“Too late, Mania. Your image is ruined,” Gotan muttered, cringing.

“Whatever… just a bunch of weaklings anyway. My stomach still hurts, time to sit.”

She flopped onto the floor, legs stretched out, one hand behind her for support, the other gently rubbing her stomach.

***

Elsewhere in the room, among the many candidates, stood Hanzo.

He wore the same battle gear from his training sessions: headband, armored plates on the chest, shoulders, elbows, and knees, and a chain-kunai across his torso, twin swords on his back, and tool pouches on his legs with an extra backpack.

Beside him was Meme, visibly terrified.

She kept her head low, biting her nails and trembling as she stared at the other candidates.

Her face said it all — she regretted her decision.

***

Moments later, the room’s tense aura had begun to fade. Most of the candidates were now relaxed, chatting in small groups and even laughing.

Then suddenly — three figures entered the room, exuding an overwhelming presence. It was the Kamui siblings.

Kurochi: with a piercing, stoic glare.

Gibi, wearing a smug and superior smile.

Kido, beaming with excitement.

The room fell silent. All eyes locked onto them, and the siblings stared right back.